Method of constructing tile lined tanks



April 8, 1947. J. M. CROM METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING TILE LINED TANKS Filed Oct. 20, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 8, 1947. J. M. CRQM 2,418,580

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING TILE LINED TANKS Filed Oct. 20, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J'oimjli 03 cm,

Patented Apr. 8, 1947 UCIIN G TILE ZLIN ED :Inhn l /I. Grom,-lWashingtnn, :D.";iC. Application Dctdber 20, I942, SerialNo.'462,'697

2 Claims. 1

inventionn'elat es -"more particularly "to "tal'iksfadapted to hold acid .and like liquids of a "corroding character andthe invention especially concern-s anovel and superior tile lined tank of "this nature and for this purpose and the method of constructing the tank.

Whereas linedtanks have 'h-eretofore been constructed by first building the tank and thereafter "lining it, "I -propose first .to form a horizontal nementitious base for the "tank and "then to 'set up adjacent to its marginal edge an annular side "-wall lining of tiles inedge co-edge relationand "somewhat spa'ced Withtheircombined inner faces "formingthe inner faceof the proposed tank Wall; and then to project cementitious composition over and onto the combined outer faces df the tiles to-a depth providing a unitary Wall extend- ?ing about and in bondingengagement'with the tiles. Theunitary -.Wa1l provides the Zbody por- 'tion 'df' the tank Wall :and holds the tiles rigidly therewith as thetank lining. The inner 'faces L of lthe tiles are-'a'cid-resistant and the entire lining is 'thereaftery rendered acid-moorland leakproof Lby packing the spaces between theitiles with acid- ;cresistin'g cement and compressing the tank to maintain' the tile'j oints-tight.

-In constructin'gthe tank lI' preferablyii-lrst form 'zthe -.horizontal bottom or i base of cement .iand

slay a liner o'f acideresisting tiles ithereonto. ==skeletn form His thereafter constructed :around the base andwthe side iwa-llfatiles are ':supported thereon and held in vplace:preferably'by a novel :fiexible band arrangement hereinafter described. The tank is completed rbyiplacing;the sidezwallsin ::c'om pression, preferably both vertically and horin zontally, :by reinforcement placed :around "vertically of the unitary Wall and covered with sza ccementitious layer all a hereinafter-specifically described, :the :compression serving to maintain the side wall :tiles tight "and leakproof at their joints.

The tank thusconstructed .is .lined With stiles which are substantially an integraIJpart-Jof the tankxand maintained tight and leakproof at their joints and the inside surface is sealed against the escape or actionrofithe 'acid or other liquid to be contained. The novelmethod of constructing "the tank is not only most economic'al'butfurthermore produces a tank for the purpose described which is substantially;superiortojjikeitanks heretofore .known. The primary object of .theintvent'ion .resides in this novel .method-andiconlastruc'tion.

These and other features of the invention 'will lbe'best understood and ,..appreciated irom ithe .Lfollowingfiescrip'tion o'f aprferred embodiment thereof selected for purposeshofjillustrationtand' e'ShOWIl in .the accompanying Qdrawingslin "Fig. 1 is a'fragmentary plan section through a tank being constructed in accordance with my invention,

2 Fig.';2 is'atfragmentaryiinside 'elevationthereof,

Fig.3 isra sectional View taken on theline 3- 3 oFig;I2, V Fig. 4 is a :fragmentary horizontal section through thetank'side wall, and

Fi 5 is'a perspective view of one of the-tiles tused for the'side wall lining.

"In constructing the tank I preferably first-pro- 'vide aconcrete baselll for'the tank and line the top face thereof with tiles 12 *o'f a character "adapted'totresistthe "liquid 'to be containe'din the tank. A tile :supporting 'form "preferably of "a1skeletonlike nature isthenerected 'aroundthe "base. Theform illustrated-comprises uprights-'11 mounted in spaced relation 'aroundthe "base'an'd having tile supporting strips 15 in spaced rela- "tion'vertically thereon. The form issupported from the inside by timbers 16 secured to and connecting the uprights l4. The 'side Wall-tiles 11 "are er oblong "shape and the spacing of the strip is ;such 'as to receive and-support "these 'tileson theouterfaces of thestrips.

' The .tiles I1 "are stacked in edge to edge relation'agains'ttheouter faces of the strips lfijthe longer-axes of the tiles extending vertically and each til'e' preferably beingsupporte'd' against-three strips. .The "form is 'also so spaced from -the edge of 'thebase 'tiling "I 2 *thatonly a narrow .space isleft'atthe'base'betweenthe tiles I-2 and iimer'faces' of the tiles [7. The tiles I! are'slightly spaced-apart at their I edges "and one-convenient method of supporting them in place 'individually on the form embodies "the" use or flexible bands extending around the outer "face of the two "edges of" each tile and "secure'd'attheinends to the form. Two such'bands f8 arei-llustratedas "engaging each tile adjacent to its top and bottom ends and attached to the .form as by nails 2-H. Preferably these bands are ofjrubbentor other-elastic material for a reason I hereinafter "described. The form is so constructedth'avwhen the tiles l -1 *are in place thereon 'theirinner faces form"theinner face of the pro- .fposedtarik.

"When all the'tiles' l'lhave been'plac'ed-on the 'formas illustrated in 'Fig. 2, Iproject cementitious 'comp'osition'on'to the outer faces thereof, preferably "by means 10f "a compressed "air ;gun :v'rhidh adapted .to 'shoot semi-plastic *concrete eontoitheiormin well knownmanner, someto'fthe concretezextending into the spaces between the tiles, has shown ,in E15. 4. .The composition I'is.

: place'cl to :a .depthzprovidingsa unitary man cextending-aboutand.inbonding engagementtwith the tiles, the :tiles .heing :preferahly tgroovedmazid tundercutzas ati-M it!) provide -a positive-bond aloe- -tween atheitiles and .themiall. lIhe :wall is? there- .zaiteraplaced :in :compression preferably-both wertically and radially by vertical and circumferential rod reinforcement 26 and 28. This reinof the tank is then completed by projecting a layer 30 of cementitious composition over the outer face of the wall, this layer bonding to and completely covering the wall and rods and bonding all the units into a unitary structure.

The inside of the tank is finished as follows afterv removing the forms I l-46. The bands'ls are Severed at the inside faces of the tiles and when the bands are of elastic material the severedends snap back into spaces between the tiles. The inside face is then finished by packing these spaces with acid-resisting cement 32. Preferably I groove the edges of the tiles as at 34 to provide undercut shoulders for receiving and supporting the cement 32. The cement at 22 seals the outer portions of the spaces and the cement 32 is packed tightly thereinto and flush with the inner faces of the tiles. The spaces between the base tiles l2 and between such tiles and the tiles N are likewise packed with the acidresisting cement at 36.

- It should be particularly noted that the tiles 1! are arranged with vertical gaps therebetween and are also preferably spaced apart at their horizontal edges. The function of the gaps is two-fold. They freely permit the necessary shrinkage of the concrete outer wall 22 upon setting of the wall and they provide packing space for receiving the liquid resisting cement 32. Without such, open gaps or spacing the layer of tiles would form a rigid barrier against which the shell 22 could not shrink and with the result that the shell would crack and therefore be useless for the purpose required. The tank wall is preferably allowed to set long enough to attain most of its shrinkage before the joints are packed with the cement 32 and this cement is allowed to harden before the tank wall is placed under compression, it being understood that such concrete as projects into the joints from the shell 22 shrinks along with the shell and does not impede the said shrinkage of the shell. thereafter placed under compression, preferably both Vertically and horizontally by reinforcement 26 and 23. This compression brings and holds the tiles in tight contact with the cement 32 at the joints, thus providing and maintaining a I leakproof lining throughout the interior wall of the tank, which lining is supported by the unbroken shell 22 bonded and shrunk thereonto. It will be apparent that the shell is relatively thin, as compared to a poured concrete wall, and is quite compressible by the reinforcement to the degree necessary to secure the tight joints.

The primary purpose of the invention is to provide a tile lined tank adapted to hold acids and likeliquids of a corroding character and it will be apparent that the lining must be and remain absolutely leakproof if it is to perform this function since any leakage through the lining would permit the acid in the tank to attack and destroy the concrete shell. The primary danger to such action is at the joints and the step of packing the joints with acid resisting cement together with the subsequent placing of the tank The wall is r in compression to hold the tiles tight and leakproof at their joints is particularly adapted to preclude such leakage. It will be apparent that slight shrinkage may take place in the joint packing and the subsequent placing of the tank in compression is essential to close up all such shrinkage and bring the tiles into tight contact with and firmly support the packing at the joints.

The completed tank embodies a solid concrete base together with the side walls of preloaded cementitious construction, all tile lined and held under compression and packed to provide an inner face sealed continuously thereover against the action of acids or other liquids to be contained. Furthermore, the tile side wall lining is substantially an integral part of the side wall construction 22--3ll. The tank is therefore of substantial and superior construction and provides every element necessary to perform the required. functions, and the novel method of producing the tank renders its production most economical.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method of constructing a liquid-resisting tile lined tank, which consists in erecting a tanklike form having outwardly facing tile-receiving and supporting surfaces, mounting an annular layer of liquid-resisting tiles thereon in edge to edge relation wherein their combinedinner faces provide the inner face of the tank wall, the tiles of said layer being spaced apart to provide a gap between horizontally adjacent tiles, projecting a layer of cementitious composition over and onto the combined outer faces of the tiles to a depth sealing the outer portions of the spaces between the tiles and providing a unitary wall extending about and in bonding engagement with the tiles,

the gaps between the spaced tiles permitting free shrinkage of the wall, removing the form, packing the gaps between the tiles at and outwardly of their inner faces with liquid-resisting cement, and placing and holding the tiles tight and leakproof along the joints at said gaps by placing the .tank under compression by the application of I their edge joints.

JOHN M. CROM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Nelson Sept. 15, 1936 

